Saint Augustine

With a flagship store in Mt Maunganui, a new boutique in Westfield 277 Newmarket and a brand new baby, Augustine Internationals designer Kelly Coe could seemingly be no busier. Til you throw a debut show at fashion week into the mix…

With a flagship store in Mt Maunganui, a new boutique in Westfield 277 Newmarket and a brand new baby, Augustine Internationals designer Kelly Coe could seemingly be no busier. That is until you throw a debut show at New Zealand Fashion Week into the mix.

The Augustine aesthetic is unashamedly bright, embellished, overstated and glamorous, for which Kelly makes no apologies. It is a natural extension of Kelly’s own personal style and stems from a lack of ability in finding this type of fashion at an accessible price point.

The new Augustine store in Westfield 277 is a startling contrast to the other stores around it. Fitted out with plush velvet and glimmering chandeliers, shoppers are offered a boutique experience while still retaining all the ease of convenience and free parking that Westfield has to offer. Service is paramount to Kelly and her well trained staff, who hope to be firstly considered stylists and sales people second.

Above left: Kelly Coe and Claire Hahn. Below: the window display at Augustine Internationals.

Celebrating the opening of her new boutique last night over champagne and sushi, it is easy to see that Augustine International has already found favour with the Auckland girls about town. And it is Kelly’s hope that her show at fashion week will create a stronger brand awareness and further the growing wholesale side of the company.

The current collection in store is a glamour girl’s dream; glittering with beading and gems and just the right amount of tassles and trimmings, printed silks and a flurry of feathers.

The Augustine International debut at New Zealand Fashion Week as part of the group show will be a natural progression of its current look. Kelly says we can expect a lot of colour, embellishment, silks and a strong focus on shoulder detailing and frills. Although both nervous and excited about her debut show, she hopes the glam and colour will be appreciated as she believes this is not always evident in New Zealand fashion.

“It will be pretty. It won’t be edgy or hard to understand. It’s pretty and I don’t apologise for that or try to be something I’m not."

Augustine
277 Newmarket Auckland.
www.augustineinternational.com

Story and photos, Claire Hahn 25 August 2010.